On April 1st, 2021 shortly after 3:30pm, Casper Police Officers responded to the area of East K Street and North McKinley Street in Casper for a report of a disturbance.
The reporting party told officers that a man had pointed a rifle at and threatened to shoot them. The reporting party, along with several other individuals, were gathered on the side of the street talking when the man suspected of making the threat approached the group and allegedly pointed the rifle at them, threatening to shoot them, because he wanted them to leave.
Upon officers’ arrival to the scene, they located a male in the reported location, matching the description provided by the caller. Officers approached the male in an effort to speak with him regarding the situation. The male ignored commands from the officers and entered a residence located in the area in the 1000 block of North Jackson Street.
Due to the male refusing to exit the home, along with the potentially dangerous nature of the individual, officers set up a perimeter around the residence and continued to issue commands for the individual to exit, unarmed.
For nearly two hours, officers with the Casper Police Department, assisted by officers with the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Natrona County Sheriff’s Office, continued to issue commands for the male inside the home to exit.
During the course of these two hours, officers believed that the man was inside of the residence alone and potentially armed.
Ultimately, Casper Police Officers, certified in Crisis Intervention Training, were able to speak with the man inside over the phone, leading to his eventual peaceful and voluntary exit of the residence. The man was transported to the Casper Police Department for further interviews.
Upon requesting and receiving an approved search warrant, officers later entered the home to find a loaded rifle, matching the description of the rifle reported by the victims. Officers also confirmed that the man was the only individual inside the home during the incident.
Later that evening, officers arrested the man involved, Kevin Deschneau, for three recommended felony charges of aggravated assault.
The Casper Police Department would like to thank the Natrona County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Natrona County Special Response Team, and the Casper-Natrona County Public Safety Communication Center for their assistance with this incident.
#OurCommunity can be proud of how these officers responded to this situation. In dealing with an armed and potentially dangerous individual refusing to come out of a residence, these officers exercised patience, professionalism, and expertise. That is evident by the outcome, the suspect exiting peacefully, and the community and the officers being able to go home safely.
The Casper Police Department is dedicated to the protection and safety of our community through the highest standards of professionalism in police services.